Can I Die If The CPAP Power Goes Out?

If you're worried that you may suffocate in your sleep if the CPAP shuts off during a power outage, then this page is for you.

The following question is asked by CPAP users who want to know what happens with them (their breathing, or quality of sleep) if the power goes off for the CPAP machine.

I use a full face mask and have heard I could die if I don't wake up when the power goes out. Is this true?

Answer

Can power outage kill you if you are on CPAP? Lora, this is a good question, and I have two answers for you:

Answer 1

All CPAP masks are designed with exhalation ports and have to be FDA approved before they are introduced to the marketplace.

More than likely, if the CPAP machine stopped during the night, you would wake up; but if you do not wake up, don't worry.

These masks are designed to allow you to breathe room air if the blower stops.

To ease your mind, I've had the power go off twice while on BiPAP. I woke up almost immediately both times.

Once was while camping (well, in a motorhome), at about 2 a.m. when the AC power we were hooked up to went out - over several counties in Maine.I was deeply asleep but woke up very quickly.

Fortunately, we had the ultimate back-up, and I plugged into the coach power (2 large deep-cycle batteries and an inverter).

Fears of suffocating when CPAP goes off are overblown. You wake up when you begin having apneas, just as you did before CPAP, only probably a little quicker because you are no longer accustomed to sleeping through them.

The only people who might actually suffocate would be severely disabled or heavily medicated people who couldn't open their mouths or rouse themselves.

So, my recommendation is to:

Notify your electric provider that you are medically dependent on a CPAP, they may have policies in place to prioritize keeping utilities on in medically dependent households. You will probably need to file an official form for this.

Keep a fully charged deep cell marine battery, and if your machine doesn't run off 12-volt power, get a good inverter. You can run your machine up to three nights on a good charge and plug it in to recharge when you do have electricity. I keep this setup under my bed for use during storm season.

Answer 2

I found a case about a woman with sleep apnea who died in sleep after a power outage.

Reports in New Zealand newspapers that an inquest concluded that a 44-year-old woman died after electricity service was disconnected for being behind on bills; as a result, her CPAP did not work.

If you look up her name "Muliaga" and CPAP and New Zealand in any browser, you will see several articles about this.

Publicity from the lawsuit will bring extra attention to how necessary CPAP is, and make sure that your local electric company lists you as a person who needs electricity for medical reasons.

However, you may realize that this woman had severe sleep apnea and died in sleep without CPAP. She already had the electricity service disconnected.

Remy ThierryFounder of Sleep Apnea Guide

Comments for Can I Die If The CPAP Power Goes Out?

If you have concerns about losing power you get an Uninterruptable Power Supply, the kind you would purchase for your computer or stereo. CPA uses such a low-level o power that one of these should support the unit until the power is restored.

We had a thunderstorm that caused a brown-out, that is the lights flickered. This set my CPAP into cool down mode. It was like someone banging on my mask and wok in a flash. Ordering another UPS this week.

Jan 24, 2018Rating

poppycockby: Anonymous

I fell asleep with mine off last night. I am alive to write this.

Sep 12, 2017Rating

Cpap by: carl butler

Hi I need to put our minds at rest . My mum past away on Friday and was found in her room still with the cpap on. My question is does anyone know should the Cpap alarm if the pipe comes apart from the Machine ???? If anyone can help me please . Thank you

Jul 06, 2017Rating

CPAP unmaskedby: Ken Ares

My nephew had severe apnea. Used the mask every night. Went to a concert and had a few beers. Came home went to sleep without the mask and never woke up. Upper 30's. My question; will your CPAP machine train your brain to breathe and when you don't use the machine your brain can't adapt causing you not to breathe when you have an apnea event?

Jul 04, 2017Rating

thanks much by: Anonymous

Thanks much for a fantastic well considered article

Feb 07, 2017Rating

15 years of CPAP usage...by: Mike Canfield

If my cpap machine quits working my body will probably resort to one of the reasons I wear a cpap device to begin. It's called mouth breathing. A giant duh! Or I will just wake up and breath through my nose. Also a giant duh!

Feb 04, 2017Rating

For full face mask wearers...by: Anonymous

My husband has a CPAP machine with a full face mask. It does not have a valve.One night the power went out briefly and the machine stopped. By the time he woke up her was so oxygen deprived that he was paralysed through lack of oxygen. He was just laying there and wasn't able to move or speak to get my attention and after several minutes somehow worked out how to get his mask off enough so he could breathe. It took some time after that before he could move again and then wake me up to tell me about it.

I was so frustrated with the absolute foolishness of the manufacturers not to include a very inexpensive and simple alarm to wake up CPAP users in the event of a power failure.

I went looking for an alternative so this would never happen again and I found a device called a UPS (Uninterrupted Power Supply) and were originally designed for computers so that when the power fails it keeps the computer going long enough for you to shut it down safely.

This device plugs into the socket and the CPAP machine plugs into it. In the event of a power supply failure, the alarm goes off and wakes you up and the device keeps the machine going for a little while giving the user time to wake up and take off the mask.

Nov 06, 2016Rating

Y'all are sillyby: Anonymous

You can't die from a cpap. Folks just won't happen, ALL cpap Machines are built so that very scenario will not,can't,and won't happen. Did you not think they thought about that. You guys are silly LOL. Love my cpap machine!!!

Aug 05, 2016Rating

Power outage on Cpap by: Anonymous

When power went off while using my Cpap with nasal mask and chin strap, I attempted to get up 15-20 minutes after power outage, fell backwards on floor, and now have sore neck and shoulders. I am purchasing back up power for the machine.

Apr 10, 2016Rating

Power Failure and C-PAPby: Rodney

A full face mask has extra protection with an anti-asphyxiation valve. Still, you might be less likely to die from an apnea/hypopnea when the power goes out, than if you didn't used one at all.

This is why: You get "use" to the positive pressure from the machine. Since you are "accustomed" to this pressure, the sudden drop in pressure from a power failure, gives the sensation the air is being "sucked" out of you. In a kneejerk reaction it wakes you up. You may even gasps for air. Believe me, power Failures are far more annoying than deadly.

Note: Not all areas will prevent service interruptions due to non payment of bill for C-PAP use. Some States don't recognize it as a "life threatening" medical device, such as an oxygen concentrator. Oklahoma (my state) does not.

Nov 15, 2014Rating

clarificationby: helen nz

The lady in New Zealand didn't die in her sleep while on a cpap machine. She was awake in the daytime and was oxygen dependent. Completely different scenario.

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